Destination Weddings in Hawaii Take Double-Digit Dip

The Honolulu Advertiser cites statistics that the number of people traveling to Hawaii in 2008 to get married plunged 16 percent from the previous year, to approximately 60,100 couples. This decline is greater than the 11 percent drop in overall visitor arrivals for 2008. A key factor in the downslide was last summer’s high fuel prices that led to higher airfares. Those who do decide to wed in Hawaii are watching their budgets and in some cases buying minister-only ceremonies instead of a complete wedding package. In the peak year of 2005, nearly 20,000 marriage licenses were issued to nonresidents, but since then, there has been three years of steady decline in numbers. The 12 percent drop in 2008 was the largest decrease in at least a decade.